Hype and Fiction: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.

Fact: Fad diets often promise to help you lose a lot of weight quickly, or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet to lose weight. Although you may lose weight at first while on these kinds of diets, they can be unhealthy because they often keep you from getting all the nutrients that your body needs. Fad diets may seriously limit or forbid certain types of food, so most people quickly get tired of them and regain the lost weight.

Research suggests that losing 1/2 to 2 pounds a week by eating better and exercising more is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

By improving your eating and exercise habits, you will develop a healthier lifestyle and control your weight. You will also reduce your chances of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Hype and Fiction: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

Fact: Your body needs a certain amount of calories and nutrients each day in order to work properly. If you skip meals during the day, you will be more likely to make up for those missing calories by snacking or eating more at the next meal. Studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier than those who eat a nutritious breakfast.

A healthier way to lose weight is to eat many small meals throughout the day that include a variety of nutritious, low-fat, and low-calorie foods.

Hype and Fiction: “I can lose weight while eating anything I want.”

Fact:This statement is not always true. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. But you still need to limit the number of calories that you eat every day, usually by eating smaller amounts of food. When trying to lose weight, you can eat your favorite foods–as long as you pay attention to the total amount of food that you eat.

You need to use more calories than you eat to lose weight. Maintaining a constant weight is all about balances: Body weight = calories input minus calories output!

The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Hype and Fiction: Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.

Fact: It doesn’t matter what time of day you eat–it’s how much you eat during the day and how much exercise you get that make you gain or lose weight. No matter when you eat your meals, your body will store extra calories as fat. If you want to have a snack before bedtime, make sure that you first think about how many calories you have already eaten that day.

Try not to snack while doing other things like watching television, playing video games, or using the computer. If you eat meals and snacks in the kitchen or dining room, you are less likely to be distracted and more likely to be aware of what and how much you are eating. (If you want to snack while watching TV, take a small amount of food with you–like a handful of pretzels or a couple of cookies–not the whole bag.)

Hype and Fiction: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.

Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.

The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Hype and Fiction: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.

Fact: A product that claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually tested scientifically to prove that they are safe or that they work. Some herbal or other natural products may be unsafe to use with other drugs or may hurt people with certain medical conditions. Check with your doctor or other qualified health professional before using any herbal or natural weight-loss product.

Hype and Fiction: Nuts are fattening and you shouldn’t eat them if you want to lose weight.

Fact: Although high in calories and fat, most (but not all) types of nuts have low amounts of saturated fat. Saturated fat is the kind of fat that can lead to high blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Nuts are a good source of protein and fiber, and they do not have any cholesterol. In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. (A 1-ounce serving of mixed nuts, which is about 1/3 cup, has 170 calories.)

What is a serving anyway?

A serving =

1 medium apple or orange (no bigger than a tennis ball) or banana

1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit

1/4 cup of dried fruit

3/4 cup of fruit or vegetable juice

1 cup of raw leafy greens (a little smaller than a softball)

1/2 cup of cooked vegetables

Hype and Fiction: Eating red meat is bad for your health and will make it harder to lose weight.

Fact: Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some saturated fat and cholesterol. But they also have nutrients that are important for good health, like protein, iron, and zinc.

Eating lean meat (meat without a lot of visible fat) in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. A serving size is 2 to 3 ounces of cooked meat, which is about the size of a deck of cards. Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat such as beef eye of the round, top round, or pork tenderloin, and trim any extra fat before cooking. The “select” grade of meat is lower in fat than “choice” and “prime” grades. However, regardless of choice, red meats should be eaten sparingly.

Hype and Fiction: Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen or canned.

Fact: Most fruits and vegetables (produce) are naturally low in fat and calories. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh. Frozen or canned produce is often packaged right after it has been picked, which helps keep most of its nutrients. Fresh produce can sometimes lose nutrients after being exposed to light or air.

Hype and Fiction: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.

Fact: Potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, beans, and some vegetables (like squash, yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, and carrots) are rich in complex carbohydrates (also called starch). Starch is an important source of energy for your body.

Foods high in starch can be low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and calories when you eat them in large amounts, or they are made with rich sauces, oils, or other high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise.

Try to avoid high-fat toppings and choose starchy foods that are high in fiber, like whole grains, beans, and peas.

Hype and Fiction: Fast foods are always an unhealthy choice and you should not eat them when dieting.

Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how. Choose salads and grilled foods instead of fried foods, which are high in fat and calories. Use high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like full-fat mayonnaise and salad dressings only in small amounts.

Eating fried fast food (like French fries) or other high-fat foods like chocolate once in a while as a special treat is fine–but try to split an order with a friend or order a small portion. In small amounts, these foods can still be part of a healthy eating plan.

Hype and Fiction: Fish has no fat or cholesterol.

Fact: Although all fish has some fat and cholesterol, most fish is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. Fish is a good source of protein. Types of fish that are higher in fat (like salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, and anchovies) are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are being studied because they may be linked to a lower risk for heart disease. Grilled, baked, or broiled fish (instead of fried) can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan.

Hype and Fiction: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.

Fact: A high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet provides most of your calories each day from protein foods (like meat, eggs, and cheese) and few calories from carbohydrate foods (like breads, pasta, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables). People often get bored with these diets because they crave the plant-based foods they are not allowed to have or can have only in very small amounts. These diets often lack key nutrients found in carbohydrate foods.

Many of these diets allow a lot of food high in fat, like bacon and cheese. High-fat diets can raise blood cholesterol levels, which increases a person’s risk for heart disease and certain cancers.

High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets may cause rapid weight loss–but most of it is water weight and lean muscle mass–not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to get rid of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that your body makes.

This is not a healthy way to lose weight!

It overworks your kidneys, and can cause dehydration, headaches, and bad breath. It can also make you feel nauseous, tired, weak, and dizzy. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis can be very risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes.

By following a reduced-calorie diet that is well-balanced between carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, you will still lose weight–without hurting your body. You will also be more likely to keep the weight off.

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Hype and Fiction: Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.

Fact: Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They have calcium to help children grow strong bones and to keep adult bones strong and healthy. They also have vitamin D to help your body use calcium, and protein to build muscles and to help organs work properly.

Low-fat and nonfat dairy products are as nutritious as whole milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories. Choose low-fat or nonfat milk, cheese, yogurt (frozen or regular), and reduced-fat ice cream.

For people who can’t digest lactose (a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products), lactose-free dairy products can be used. These are also good sources of protein and calcium. If you are sensitive to some dairy foods, you may still be able to eat others, like yogurt, hard cheese, evaporated skim milk, and buttermilk. Other good sources of calcium are dark leafy vegetables (like spinach), calcium-fortified juice, bread, and soy products (like tofu), and canned fish with soft bones (like salmon).

Many people are worried about eating butter and margarine. Eating a lot of foods high in saturated fat (like butter) has been linked to high blood cholesterol levels and a greater risk of heart disease. Some research suggests that high amounts of “trans fat” can also cause high blood cholesterol levels. Trans fat is found in margarine, and in crackers, cookies, and other snack foods made with hydrogenated vegetable shortening or oil. Trans fat is formed when vegetable oil is hardened to become margarine or shortening, a process called “hydrogenation.” More research is needed to find out the effect of trans fat on the risk of heart disease. Foods high in fat, like butter and margarine, should be used in small amounts.

Hype and Fiction: Low-fat or no fat means no calories.

Fact: Remember that most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. Other low-fat or nonfat foods may still have a lot of calories. Often these foods will have extra sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to make them taste better. These ingredients can add calories, which can lead to weight gain.

A low-fat or nonfat food is usually lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. The number of calories depends on the amount of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in the food. Carbohydrate and protein have about 4 calories per gram, and fat has more than twice that amount (9 calories per gram).

Be a “Sensible” Consumer

If you don’t know whether or not to believe a weight-loss or nutrition claim, check it out! Find out more about nutrition and weight loss by reading the publications listed below, contacting the organizations listed, or talking with a registered dietitian. Learning more about nutrition will help you to make sense of the hype and Hype and Fictions, find out the truth, and practice healthy eating and weight-control habits.

Hype and Fiction: “Going vegetarian” means you are sure to lose weight and be healthier.

Fact: Vegetarian diets can be healthy because they are often lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber. Choosing a vegetarian diet with a low fat content can be helpful for weight loss. But vegetarians–like non-vegetarians–can also make poor food choices, like eating large amounts of junk (nutritionally empty) foods. Candy, chips, and other high-fat, vegetarian foods should be eaten in small amounts.

Vegetarian diets need to be as carefully planned as non-vegetarian diets to make sure they are nutritious.

Vegetarian diets can provide the recommended daily amount of all the key nutrients if you choose foods carefully. Plants, especially fruits and vegetables, are the main source of nutrients in vegetarian diets. Some types of vegetarian diets (like those that include eggs and dairy foods) contain animal sources, while another type (the vegan diet) has no animal foods. Nutrients normally found in animal products that are not always found in a vegetarian diet are iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc. Here are some foods that have these nutrients:

Iron: cashews, tomato juice, rice, tofu, lentils, and garbanzo beans (chick peas).
Calcium: dairy products, fortified soymilk, fortified orange juice, tofu, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin D: fortified milk and soymilk, and fortified cereals (or a small amount of sunlight).
Vitamin B12: eggs, dairy products, and fortified soymilk, cereals, tempeh, and miso. (Tempeh and miso are foods made from soybeans. They are low in calories and fat and high in protein.)
Zinc: whole grains (especially the germ and bran of the grain), eggs, dairy products, nuts, tofu, leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cabbage), and root vegetables (onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, radishes).

Vegetarians must eat a variety of plant foods over the course of a day to get enough protein. Those plant foods that have the most protein are lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh, miso, and peas.

Now that you know the fact from the fiction and hype, you too can lose weight, healthily.

Question: I’ve been reading your site and enjoying the great information, but can’t find what I’m looking for. I’m a baby boomer and have heard that there are specific areas I should be concerned about called physical fitness components. Can you tell me what these are?

Answer: You would be referring to health-related physical fitness. Due to you age, these are very important. They are:

• Cardiovascular (aerobic fitness)
• Abdominal muscular strength and endurance
• Flexibility of the lower back and ham-strings
• Body composition (lean-to-fat ratio)

These areas are considered of significant importance for both young and old. The better performance you can show in each is an indication of overall health status. Because one tends to decrease in performance in each of these areas as he or she ages, the more active you are, the more functional you’ll be with age and the ability to lead an active and healthy lifestyle will be enhanced.

To improve yourself, begin an exercise program that has aerobic, strength, stretching, and general fitness components included. Begin at your own fitness level and strive to improve with time. But, as always, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Please see other areas of the My Health and Fitness web site for additional information. Also, match your calorie intake to your exercise program and be persistent in your goals.

Question: I’m currently 52 years old and want to live to see my grandchildren graduate from college and enjoy some time with my great grandchildren. To do this, I need to live until I’m 75-80 years old. What are my chances of doing this?

Answer: Currently, for the average American, your probability of living to that age range is 88% to 79% for youngest to oldest years. However, these are statistics for someone beginning at age 65 and, at an average fitness level. By increasing your fitness level and staying active, an average of 10 years could be added to this barring any unforeseen accidents or chronic diseases. Thus, it’s likely you’ll be able to spend the time you wish with your loved ones.

Question: I’ve been having sore knees and ankles lately, am very overweight and have a difficult time trying to exercise because I don’t like lifting weights or riding bikes at the gym. I also eat lots of sweets due to my wife’s cooking. I had a physical from my doctor and he said the soreness is due to too much weight on the joints. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: Recently an My Health and Fitness client in Denver, Gregg B., had the same problem. Here is what is likely happening. Being overweight is causing undue stress on your joints and muscles, making them sore, i.e., they just cannot handle the weight load comfortably. By both reducing weight and increasing strength, these symptoms will generally disappear. Since you do not like to exercise, it will be more difficult to reduce your weight, but at the same time, since you are inactive, you must also be careful with the intensity at which you begin to exercise. Compounding this problem is the amount of sweets you eat since too much sugar is the enemy, both from a diabetes standpoint and the fact that it produces triglycerides causing an increase in cholesterol in the blood, and is a major factor in weight gain. Consequently, you need to solve your problem with a dual-pronged attack: 1) Ease into exercising, and 2) Watch your diet; reduce both sugar and caloric intake.

First I’ve begin walking 15 minutes per day for at least five days per week, six days per week if at all possible. Begin with a leisurely stroll, i.e., about 20-25 minutes per mile. You can use the time to think about important issues in your life, listen to music or inspirational messages via cassette or CD and headphones, or spend time with a friend or loved one as a workout partner. After the first week, increase walking time to 25 minutes per day. For the third week, increase walking time to about 40 minutes per day. You can gradually increase walking speed as well on a weekly basis. If you feel like it, try adding a few push-ups and sit ups to your daily regimen. Begin slowly.

Second – Resist overeating. Gregg had a problem doing this so, before each meal, he was required to drink 1-2, 8-ounce glasses of water, which would make him feel full so that he physically couldn’t consume as much food as normal without feeling uncomfortable. Combined with this, reduce your calorie intake about 500 kcalories per day (kcal is the same as calories, it’s just the scientific term we use to express calories). This kcal per day reduction will allow you to lose about one pound per week. If you’re walking too, you would expend about 4 kcal/minute per 100 pounds of body weight during the exercise. For example a 110 pound person would burn 4.1 kcal/minute and a 210 pound person would burn 7.9 kcal/minute at an average pace of 3 mph or 20 minutes per mile. Thus, for 20 minutes of exercise the range would be 82-158 kcalories burned during the walk. If you don’t count the calories expended during the exercise of such low intensity, then you’d wind up losing about 1.2-1.3 pounds per week, which would be acceptable. However, if you begin to exercise at a higher intensity and continually lose weight, you must make up for the calories expended during exercise to maintain a good health level.

Third – Limit sugar intake to twice per week only. This means you cannot eat any treats on other days. For example, have a slice of pie or something else you like on Wednesday and another treat such as ice cream on Saturday or Sunday. The portion of the treat you choose should be one serving; do not over consume! The treat is a reward for your hard effort; use moderation.

Fourth – at the end of 12 weeks, reassess your goals and your program and start over until you obtain the weight you desire.

After 12 weeks following this simple program, Gregg lost 19 pounds and felt better each day. He is more active, livelier, and looks very healthy and has done so without super intense exercise although, the time will come when he will have to increase exercise intensity to increase his fitness and health level. Gregg began at 234 pounds and is now (12/1/02) at 215 pounds. Assuming he loses one pound per week since reassessment, he will weigh about 200 pounds by the end of March 2003. His goal weight is 190 pounds. Realistically, he’ll reach that weight in about mid June 2003. More importantly, he’s much healthier and happier and has become so without dieting.

This requires making a few simple choices, eating in moderation, reducing intake of high fat foods to nominal levels, and having variety in your diet. As an example, if you find yourself going to fast food restaurants, make better choices. Instead of eating fries and hamburgers, opt for grilled chicken or fish and consume water or diet drinks to reduce both sugar and fat intake. Such a simple choice for one meal will account for a significant calorie reduction on a daily basis.

Let us use Burger King as an example. A typical choice would be the whopper with cheese, medium fries, and a coke for a total kcal intake of 1228 kcal. There are 64 grams of fat in this meal, which has a calorie value of 576, i.e., 47% of this meal is fat! The ideal would be 20-30% of your daily calories from fat. As an alternative, let us choose a BK Broiler, water or diet drink, and no fries. The calorie value is 380 kcal with only 18 grams of fat. Notice that there is a huge difference. By simply making an optional choice, you have reduced your calorie intake by 848 calories. That’s a major accomplishment and also allows you to spread calorie intake throughout the day into a more even amount, which allows the body to burn fat and calories more efficiently.

As a note, calorie intake of 1228 calories per day would be the amount required for a 100 pound person that is not doing any exercise. Even if you were 200 pounds in weight, this number would be more than half of your required daily caloric intake.

Please read the diet and nutrition section on the web site for more information concerning this topic. Also, you may wish to attend one of Dr. Tindall’s weight loss and control clinics.